


Hometime

by alloutforthewar



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 19:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5939998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alloutforthewar/pseuds/alloutforthewar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“That were-lizard guy told me he slept with you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hometime

Mulder was sitting on her motel bed as she finished typing up their report, one hand in a bag of sunflower seeds and the other rapidly flicking through channels on the television. She glanced at him several times over the top of her screen, affection and exasperation mixed together. It was déjà vu, really, the two of them here in a dusty motel room, case files and Chinese takeout on the table before her. 

But she couldn’t deny that she had enjoyed the last few days. Intrigue and mystery, Mulder becoming animated over something that involved the two of them together. She hadn’t seen him this well, this like himself in years. There was life behind his eyes, a purpose to his stride. He was motivated and proactive, he was alive. 

“That were-lizard guy told me he slept with you.” Scully blinked and looked over at him, her fingers suspended above the laptop’s keys. 

“I beg your pardon?” Mulder shifted uneasily on the bed. 

“Yeah. Tried to tell me how you guys did it in the back room at that cell phone store he worked at.” Scully’s brow furrowed. 

“He told you that?” 

Mulder stared at the TV., still surfing through channels at rapid fire speed. 

“Yup. He said you came on to him. Called him an ‘animal’. You were wearing a leopard print bra, apparently.” Scully snorted. 

“Well, we all know _that_ would never happen,” she said wryly, turning back to the computer. 

“Yeah that’s when I knew he was lying,” Mulder grinned. 

“ _That’s_ when you knew he was lying? You really think I’d…” she trailed off, an incredulous look on her face, but Mulder only shrugged. 

“No, I guess not,” he said. “Not really. But you could. You might’ve. Maybe not him, but…” It was Mulder’s turn to trail off, his voice petering out as he considered the numerous ways he could end that sentence. 

They’d been apart for over a year. He hadn’t even thought about seeing anyone else, was too focussed on getting well for her, on getting some semblance of a life back together. But she… He looked up to find her studying him, her eyes slightly narrowed, head tilted slightly. 

“Mulder,” she said quietly, calmly. “Do you want to ask me something?” Mulder swallowed and scratched the back of his neck, his eyes everywhere but her. 

“Yes. No. It’s not any of my…” 

“I think it is.” 

“You…” He swallowed. “You do?” 

“Mulder.” She saved her report and closed the laptop, turning to face him completely and running a weary hand down her face. “I still…. It’s still your business.” 

“Ok,” he said slowly, fiddling with the remote. “Then I’m asking.” 

“No.” 

“No?” 

“No. I’ve been on a few dates. A lawyer bought me dinner, twice. I let an endocrinologist kiss me. That’s it.” 

The endocrinologist had walked her to her door after drinks and had kissed her decisively, his hand sneaking down to rest on the top of her ass. It had been clear as day what he wanted as he tugged her pelvis towards his, and she had fumbled her way through a goodbye and an apology before shutting the door between them with a sigh of relief, her eyes closed and thoughts of Mulder swimming across her brain. 

“You didn’t…?” 

“I didn’t.” 

“Why not?” Scully laughed, humourlessly. 

“Do you think I should have?” 

“No! No, but… I guess I thought you _would_ have. You left, you know, so I maybe thought you wanted something… else.” There were several beats of silence, the two of them watching one another, their eyes communicating things their voices were struggling to. 

“Mulder I wanted _you_.” She looked away from him, biting her bottom lip, and took a deep breath, willing the tears she could feel bubbling in her chest to stay there. “But you weren’t there anymore. I didn’t leave because I was _bored_ of you. Or because I wanted somebody else.” 

“Ok,” he said quietly. “Could we maybe talk about that now?” 

“Yeah,” she breathed. “We can talk about it.” 

“Do I seem better?” 

“You do.” 

“What do you need me to do, Scully? What do you need from me so you can… So you can come home?” Scully inhaled sharply and she felt several tears slip down her cheeks. 

“Is that what you want?” she whispered. 

“Ah Scully,” he said, sliding from the bed and kneeling before her where she sat at the table. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs then took her hands in his own, resting them on her knees. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry if you felt I didn’t want you. That I didn’t appreciate you. I do. I want you, and I want you to come home, and I want to be better for you.” 

He laced their fingers together so their hands were a large knot in her lap, and gazed into her large, tear filled eyes. 

“Scully I love you so much.” 

She let out a sob and dropped her head down, squeezing his fingers. He felt several large tears fall on his knuckles and he leant in to her, drawing her face to his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, releasing her hands and enfolding her in his arms. Scully wrapped her own arms around him and pressed her face into his neck, breathing deeply as she tried to stem her tears. 

“It’s ok,” she whispered. “And I’m sorry, too.” 

“Shh,” he murmured, his lips against her throat. “It’s all right. We can fix this.” 

Scully pulled back slightly and cupped his cheek with her palm. 

“Can we?” she asked, her voice filled with hope. He smiled at her. 

“I believe,” he said, and she swatted him playfully. 

“Shut up,” she grinned, wiping her eyes, but then his hand was at the back of her neck drawing her closer to him, and then they were kissing and it was everything she’d remembered and more, her heartbeat pulsing through her, her skin tingling. 

“But I do,” he murmured against her lips, “I’ve always believed in us.”


End file.
